May Update

I guess it’s time for an update. It’s been almost a month since my last timeline entry and a few things have happened since then.

Since the beginning of the semester I have had the opportunity to work at an internship with the Department of Health and Welfare (DHW) in their mental health program. For the past four months I have been going in two or three times a week for a couple of hours each day and working with the psychiatrist and PA that manage the medications of many patients. For the first couple of weeks I just shadowed and watched but have been thrown into the mix and now see my own patients and write my own notes. Granted at the end of each session I present my case to my preceptors and they see the patient for a couple of minutes. There is not much I can do in regards to treatment for these patients because of my extreme lack of knowledge in psychiatry (we actually just started studying it today) but getting a history and making an assessment as to how the patient is is what I’m getting out of this internship. I really do not have a desire to continue in psychiatry but I believe that the interviewing and listening skills I learn with psych patients will greatly improve those skills in the medical realm. Plus, even in the medical setting there will be many times that I will see patients where knowledge of psychiatry will be beneficial. One such instance happened just last week.

I went and volunteered at the Pocatello Free Clinic, a community center for those who cannot afford healthcare. The first patient that I saw came in with a complaint of an adverse reaction to her lithium medication. Lithium is used to treat many disorders like bi-polar disorder and major depression. In some patients lithium can cause feelings of anxiety, nervousness, shakiness, and other similar symptoms. These reactions are very common with a dosage schedule of one in the morning and one at night. This patient was presenting with these symptoms and also dosing schedule. Ironically enough, just last week I saw a similar case while doing my internship at DHW, same symptoms same dosing schedule. Because of this experience I was able to quickly recognize the problem and also have a treatment plan.

Today I was able to use my Spanish skills to interpret for someone. I went with one of our instructors and some other students to the free clinic to perform a mole removal on a Hispanic, non English-speaking, patient. Not only did I get to interpret but we were also given a lesson on biopsies and skin lesion removals. We didn’t get to perform the procedure of the removal but we all got turns cauterizing the wound afterwards. I’ve been on the other end of the cauterizer before and would much rather prefer cauterizing than being cauterized.

Also this past week we have been covering orthopaedics. Out of the different modules we have been studying I think I have liked this one the most. It seems more hands on. Ok, it is more hands on. We got to practice splinting and casting techniques and also the different examination skills to evaluate an orthopaedic complaint. This is one of the fields that I have been considering going into. This upcoming weekend I will be assisting the medical team at a lacrosse tournament. All though we hope there will be no injuries I will be looking forward to putting into practice these new skills.

The weather has started to warm up. Idaho however just doesn’t seem to want to let go of winter. Yesterday and Monday got up to around 70 and were pretty nice days. Today however, it was stormy and only got up to 45 or so. With the weather warming up I’m looking forward to the upcoming water-ski season. Now it won’t be the same as other years I’m still looking forward to getting in what I can. The major deterrent will be school. Yes, I will have classes five days a week eight hours a day during the summer. Gas, at $3.50/gal now, will be the next factor limiting the amount of skiing. Whatever I get I will be happy with though. I’ve already started preparing myself by watching biff videos that we have made in the past.

Only three months left of classroom work. I’ll get a month break in Aug and then start my clinical rotations. I like the times I get to go to clinic and I’m looking forward to these rotations. I feel I learn and remember more when out practicing and experiencing it for myself, not just from a textbook.

The NBA playoffs are in full force right now with many teams already in the second round. Unfortunately the Spurs and Lakers are found amongst that group. The Jazz should’ve been there as well but haven’t quite realized that they have to learn how to put a team away and win! It seems that Williams is the only one that realizes the importance of these games and it shows but his intensity of play. It’s time the other big players (Boozer and Memo) wake up and step up their games. Go Jazz! (Also go New Orleans! They’re playing the Spurs in the 2^nd round).